Exceptional Members of Farset Labs - Christ Murray

On the 4th of March 2024, I interviewed Chris Murray - a long term member of Farset Labs, and what I heard from him was so incredible I had to start a series on the exceptional people like Chris that claim Farset as their hacking-homes. Please note, this post was not approved by any of the Farset Labs directors or managers and is purely a community-lead initiative, with that in mind, here's what I learnt:

Meet Chris Murray, a pillar of the Farset Labs community and an exceptional individual who has been with us since the very beginning. As one of our founding members, Chris has dedicated over 12 years to fostering innovation, inclusivity, and accessibility within our hackerspace.

By day, Chris works as an Infrastructure Specialist at Capita, where he tackles the challenges of unreliable information and end-users, working miracles to keep systems running smoothly. His expertise extends beyond his day job, as he is also the CTO & Co-Founder of Gurste, a startup that provides risk management solutions for the public sector.

Chris's passion for technology is matched only by his commitment to giving back to the community. He volunteers as a Technical Support Engineer at Battle Scars Self-harm Support Charity, putting his skills to use for a noble cause. His experience also includes stints at Liberty ITand the Ulster University Students Union.

Known for his ability to 'hack things together', Chris has been instrumental in helping large customers, such as universities, recover from ransomware attacks at all hours of the night. His dedication to problem-solving and his knack for automation are truly awe inspiring.

What sets Chris apart is his unwavering commitment to equality and accessibility. He firmly believes that technological advancements should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their mobility, vision, or dexterity issues. This ethos aligns perfectly with Farset Labs' mission to create an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals from all walks of life, be it LGBTQ+, race, creed, or disability.

Armed with a degree in Computer Science from Ulster University, Chris continues to be impressed by the continuity of ethos and values at Farset Labs. While the physical space may have changed over the years, the spirit of our community remains as strong as ever, thanks in no small part to the dedication of members like Chris.

One thing that keeps him up at night is the future of technology, and specifically - will the next big technology be an exclusionary piece just for the few elite physically able tech bros, or will it be truly accessible to all?

In short - we are incredibly proud to have Chris as a part of the Farset Labs family, and we celebrate his contributions to our community. His passion, expertise, and commitment to accessibility serve as an inspiration to us all, reminding us of the power of technology to create positive change in the world.

P.s. if you'd like to meet other people like Chris, please feel free to sign up at https://farsetlabs.org.uk/